Motor vehicle



`reduce the weight .of the vehicle and the as Many other objects l steering purposes.

U N l T F raras aan,

CLIFTON '.R. ROCHE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR. TO THE HAMLIN-HOLMES MOTOR COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION-OF DELAXVARE.

MOTOR. VEHICLE.

i Application led November 12, 1921. Serial No. 514,721. j

My invention belongs to that general class of devices known as motor vehicles, and re lates particularly to a wheel driving mecha nism which is sol arranged as t0' permit movement or adjustment of the wheels for Thesame relates to a construction particularly adapted for vehicle use where it is 'desired to drive the vehicle through the front wheels, or that is, for use on a front wheel drive. 'l`he invenhas among its objects the production of a -device of the kind described that isA simple, convenient, durable, efficient and satisfactory for use wherever found applicable. More particularly it has as an object the production of a mechanism of the kind de-4 scribed consisting of a small number of tured, is comparatively light weight, and which makes possible an improved vehicle which may-be so designed as to materially sembly of the parts. and advantages of the construction herein "shown and describedwill be obvious to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein given'.

To this end my invention consists in the novelconstruction, arrangement and comloination of parts herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings, wherein likevv reference .in the universal;

Figure 4; is a sectional View taken substantially on line 4.4 of Figure 1; .Figure 5 is an elevation of shaft parts, and

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the complete unit.

Referring to the drawings in which the lone of the i preferred embodiment of my invention is shown, 1 represents an axle of a vehicle,

in the case illustrated the front axle, and 2J and 3 represent the springs and spring clips carried thereby, which springs carry. the frame and various parts mounted thereon. In the particular type of vehicle illustrated 'u the-springsthrough the frame and other as for example bolts 19.

parts carry the various parts of the driving mechanism including the differential, transmission, etc. rlhe axle is provided with a steering knuckle consisting of a tubular spindle 4 provided with an inner end constructed to provide a housing 5. 'The same is provided with the portions 6 and 7 adapted to cooperate with the forked ends 8 and 9 of the axle. v The housing part is also prei'- erably provided withl parts 1() over and underlying the forked axle parts 8 and 9. The knuckle is secured to the. forks 8 and 9 by means of the pins or bolts '12 and 13, or their equivalent for the purpose, secured in place in any suitable manner, the arrangement being" such that thespin-dle moves in an angleat the end of the axle. The other end of the axle is silnilarly provided with a knuckle,

and it may be mentioned that substantially all of the mechanism shown in Figure 1 for i one side ofthe vehicle is similarly provided on the other side, that is tosay the'wheels at the opposite sides are constructed and driven similarly.

While it is substantially immaterial what type of wheel is employed, it maybe mentioned that the wheel 14C shown is 'provided with spokes 15, or the equivalent, seated on and'secured to the sleeve 16 which sleeve is shown provided with a flange 17. 'llhere is env also provided a sleeve 18 similarly ianged f which tits over the sleeve 16, the sleeve part 18 being secured to the flange 17 on sleeve 16, or the equivalent, by any suitable means,

As shown thewheel is mounted on the tubular spindle 4, suitable anti-friction bearings are, however, preferably arranged between the sleeve 16 and the spindle. These bearings may be of any type suitable for the purpose, such as roller bearings, ball bearings, etc., ball bearings 20 being illustrated. Figure 1 illus trates the bearing construction referred to,

but'obviously this may be modied as desired. l have shown the wheel and bearings retained'on the spindle by a nut 21, which maintains the parts assembled and permits the bearings to takethe thrust ofthe wheel on the spindle as well as carry the load'.

Referring to Figure 2, I have shown the transmission housing 24; -carrying the differential housing 25, it being understood that any preferred or standard transmission or di'erential may be employed and inasmuch as these parts are well known to those skilled lll? CII

- on the Vend of the part 18, if desired and se` ra i in theart, I have not considered it necessary to illustrate them in detail. The dierential has a stub shaft projecting at each side and which is drivingly connected with the two wheels in a manner to be hereinafter ldescribed. As shown, these shafts are connectn ed through a universal joint 26 with a shaft 27, the universal joint being of standard or any desired design. Shaft 27 is operatively connected with a shaft 29, preferably through a sleeve 28 secured to the shaft 29A arranged to receive the splined end 30 of the shaft 27. The shaft 29 is provided with a forked end 3l--31. Arranged in the housing 5 is a ball member 32 provided with mutually transverse grooves 33-34 about the eX- terior, as most clearly shown in Figure 3. The groove 33 for instance is adapted to receive the forks 31. Also projecting from the housing through the spindle 4 is a shaft part 35 which is provided with the forked end 36, the forks 36 .being adapted to engage in one of the grooves, for example 34 of the ball. It will be noted that the center of the ball in alignment with the pivotalaxis or point of connection of the knuckle with the axle '1 so that the ball universal joint will adj ust itself with the knuckle when the same may be turned for steering purposes. Shaft 35 projects beyond the spindle 4 and engages with the memberv 18, the end of the shaft being preferably splined, keyed or otherwise connected to the member 18 so that as the shaft part 35 is driven the same will be transmitted to the wheel, thereby driving the vehicle. A dust cap 38 may be arranged cured in place in any suitable manner.

4Referring particularly to Figure 1 itvvill be noted that there is provided a ring 4G on the housing 5 and there is also provided a vcover or housing part 41 arranged on the shaft 29, the same cooperating with the ring 40 and the housing 5 to form a comn plete housing for the universal joint. The ring 40 is preferably provided with a groove 42 which may be provided with packing, and it may be mentioned that I alsoprovide a groove 43 in the part-5 in which packing may be arranged. The shaft 'parts 29 and 35 are each preferably formed with a shoulder at the inner end of the forks which may bear against part of the housing and maintain the parts against displacement. The

' cover part 41 does not rotate with the shaft 29. .The housing is preferably packed with grease or filled with oil and it will be noted `that the parts arel so arranged-that this lubrication will also lubricate the pins 12 and 13. The wheel bearing may also be packed with oil or grease. The bushing 40 arranged in the spindle 4 tends to prevent the escape of oil and provides for 4wear as the bushing may be replaced vfrom time to time if desired and is necessary. A. similar thereto.

erases bushing may be arranged in cover part 41.

which. is operatively connected lwith the knuckles, as this is well known to those skilled in lthe art. In the particular mechanism illustrated the steering mechanism is connected with the knuckle at the opposite wheel, not shown, and the movement is transmitted from the tie-rod 45 to the arm 44. If desired a brake drum- 4G may be mounted on one of the movable parts, as shown, the same being mounted on one of the universal joint parts 46 at the two sides ofthe differential housing, 4T being a brake band arranged to be controlled 'in any suit able manner, which when so controlled will grip the drums an'd tend to prevent rotation or driving of the parts.v i

The advantages of the type of drive illustrated are many: It will be noted that in the particular construction described there are but few parts. The motor may be reversed in the vehicle placing the fly wheel and bell housing toward the front-of the car, and bolting the transmission in the usual manner The differential housing may be bolted to the transmission housing. It will be-seen that the drive is direct from the driving shaft which-projects over each side of differential through the universal joints to theshaft parts which transmit power to the outer shafts through the universal at the turning centers of the two front wheels. The turning is therefore taken by the universal joint in the front wheels while the action due to road shock is taken byvboth universal joints, that is, the ball universal joints and the standard universal joints referred to.

Due to the fewer parts and the better assembly manufacturing cost will be less. All of the shafting, from motor to axle required in a rear driven vehicle has been eliminated, as .is also the pinion shaft and two pinion bearings. fllhe vehicle may be constructed with a front drive similar to those with two simple drop forged axles for both front and rear wheels thereby eliminating many of the heavy and costly parts of the usual rear axle. As for assembly, I have a unit power plant and in the car do not only include the motor, clutch and transmission, but include the differential ring and pinion gear and emergency brakes. The construction permits the weight of the differential to be removed from the axle and placed so as to receive the shock of the .road through the springs which is'of great advantage since it not only decreases the wear and tear on the differential, by not having to take the direct road shock, but due to the increased ratio of the .spring the center.

Leidse@ to unsprung Weight, and at the `same time having a lighter car, the tire mileage will be greatly increased. lt is alsofound that efficiency is increased. I i

It will also be noted :thatvvith the construction'described it is possible to place all working parts7 except the rear Wheel brakes underthe hood, making the same accessible by merely raising the hood, instead of crawling under the rear of the car orraising the floor parts as is sometimes necessary on rear l `driven cars. "It will be understood that the Wheel drive is particularly described vobviously the construction illustrated may be embodied in a rear wheel construction permitting a four wheel drive and steering with all Wheels.

Having thus described my obvious that vvarious immaterial modifications may be made in the same Without de-V parting from the spirit of my inventions hence I do not Wishto be understoodas invention it is limiting myself to the exact form, arrangew ment, construction and combination'of parts herein shown and described oruses mentioned.,

.- What l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1n a selfpropelled vvehicle having a differential, afi-ont Wheel drive comprising a fined axle having a yoked end, a .shaft section operatively connected to the differential to be driven thereby, a sleeve splined to the shaft section, a second shaft section'secured to the sleeve and having an axis of rotationcoincident with the aXis of rotation of the first-mentioned shaft section, the second shaft section being spaced from the axle, a third shaft section, a universal joint between the second shaft section and the third shaft section, a second sleeve rotatably journaled upon 'the third shaft section and having a chamber accommodating the universal joint, the second sleeve secured to the yoke to pivot around an axis coincident with the-center 'of`4 the universalljoint, a cover rotatably mounted upon the second shaft section for closing the chamber in the second sleeve, and a Wheelv mounted on the second Isleeve and operatively connected to the third shaft section.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto l signed my name.

CLIFTON n.. ROCHE." 

